Republican and democrat lawmakers said “We believe that this proposal will negatively impact economic growth by adding an additional layer of red tape to countless activities that are already sufficiently regulated by state and local governments.

Rep. Steve Stockman, R-Texas said “This new rule is another power grab by [President] Obama. This is a brazen attempt to impose a radical redefinition specifically rejected by Congress and the Supreme Court,” Stockman said in a statement. “Green radicals have tried for decades to pass this redefinition by law, but it was too radical to pass even a Democrat-controlled Congress.”

The proposal would apply pollution regulations to the country’s so-called “intermittent and ephemeral streams and wetlands” which are created during wet seasons, or simply after it rains, but are temporary. At issue is the federal Clean Water Act, which gives the EPA authority to regulate “U.S. waters.” Two Supreme Court decisions in 2001 and 2006 limited regulators’ reach, but left unclear the scope of authority over small waterways that might flow intermittently.

Landowners and developers say the government has gone too far in regulating isolated ponds or marshes with no direct connection to navigable waterways.

EPA said “Tile drainage systems would not be regulated and there would be no new requirements for irrigation and drainage ditches. Exemptions already granted for farming activities would continue and 53 agricultural conservation practices would be added to the list.

But farmers who receive exemptions must also engage in an ongoing conversion practice that complies with Natural Resources Conservation Services standards.

“Once the landowner completes the conservation practice or changes the use of his land, he loses his EPA exemption and must now comply with a new, and more complex, set of rules. In other words, the only way a farmer or rancher can exempt himself from the EPA rule is to adhere to a mountain of other new federal rules.”

Criticizing the proposal as a “serious threat” to farmers, [and home owners] the American Farm Bureau Federation said “the rule would impose new regulatory burdens on farmers, ranchers and other landowners and give the agency veto power over a farmer [or home owners] ability to work.

“This is not just about the paperwork of getting a permit to farm, or even about having farming practices regulated. The fact is there is no legal right to a Clean Water Act permit—if farming or ranching activities need a permit, [the] EPA or the Army Corps of Engineers can deny that permit,” the group said in a statement.

Senator. Pat Toomey, R-Pa. said “It’s the most breathtaking power grab I’ve seen in a long time, and they wonder why the economy is so weak.”

The proposed rule has drawn the concern of Democratic Colorado Governor, John Hickenlooper, chair of the Western Governors Association. He has warned federal officials that the rule change could impinge upon state authority in water management and that states should be consulted in the EPA decision-making.

Write, eMail and call your congress person. Tell them to put a stop to Obama and his EPA’s proposed power, water and land grab regulations.

Re Krislee Johnson – Thanks for stopping by and visiting my humble blog and for your comment(s)
In my opinion this is a government ‘Power’ grab. He who controls how water and land is used Controls the People! Be very aware of what ‘Our’ government is or is not doing. Demand they remain public servants not rulers of the public. Agencies like EPA and NSA are a very real threat to American Citizens Freedom.
Happy gardening

Robert, most sadly of all, our Founding Fathers showed great concern for the property rights of all small American common-person land holders. These founding ideas are cornerstone blocks of our social foundations. Property rights, and human rights, are fundamental in all our policy swings. Inevitable political cycles, like the ebb and flow of the moon and tides. Thank you for presenting this present crisis to us.

We will be known in History as we – ‘we’ are our American government agencies – for how we have met our promises to the masses of our common land holders. History says we did not do well in the great Depression, for example, when we foreclosed on America’s small farm owners. After their top soil blew away like dust. Whole communities were forced to live in camps and treated like animals. This fact, and these tragedies (as John Steinbeck knew well), are rarely publicized.

These policies, and their resulting consequences are publicized less, for example, than our admittedly atrocious treatment of Japanese Americans who lost their property and were sequestered in camps during WWII. Or, our Native American neighbors, who live on Reservations, and who have lost the economic security of their Tribal Investment portfolios that were “reinvested” by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Tragic policies reap their own rewards. And in America, at least, it appears as if History is repeating itself. These are only the opinions of a Healing Garden gardener.

Re garden98110 Thank you for your comment(s)
Obama’s has had little success in pushing his Socialist Agenda through congress. However what he hasn’t been able to do through congressional law makers he is and has been doing via government agency rules and executive orders.

Shamwest – The way it is written, you, the land owner could lose all rights to use this area for any purpose without expressed written authority from the EPA and if tested and found not to meet EPA clean water standards ‘you’ could be forced to clean this water / wetland area at your expense.

This is a very dangerous EPA land/water grab to gain total control of ‘Your’ land. As proposed if water stands a few hours in your yard / garden or other places on ‘Your’ private property EPA can declare this a wetland and take control of your private property.
Write – Call – eMail your congressman demanding this proposed EPA regulation be stopped.